If You Believe
by Luuft
Summary: Remember when Santa told Sora that Sora had told everyone he didn't believe in him? It was Riku's fault anyway. It's now the first Christmas Eve Sora, Kairi and Riku spend together after their separation and Riku is proven wrong about Santa's existence.


Wow, my first upload. I've been reading fanfics on the site since 2002 or so! I made an account a LONG time ago but never uploaded anything so I made a new one a few months ago…still didn't upload anything until now! Haha.

Since I am such a KH geek right now, I guess it makes sense the first story I upload is a KH one! (KHII to be exact.)

I wanted to write a little backstory to the quick reference in the game about how Riku told Sora he that he didn't believe in Santa Claus and Sora telling everyone else the same thing afterwards. (Remember what Santa said to Sora in Christmas Town? XD) I wondered what Riku's reaction would have been if Sora did give him Santa's very best wishes. Maybe I should have waited till December to post this…ah well!

Enjoy!

* * *

"Sora, I am not going to tell you what it is," Riku said flatly, looking to his friend who was shaking a present. 

Sora paused, mid-shake. "Come on!"

"No. You'll find out tomorrow, anyway!"

Kairi giggled and picked up a Christmas cookie. She had missed this--she had missed the three of them being together so much. They were not able to spend to the last two Christmases together thanks to their separation. It was almost like a dream they were together again like this.

Sora put down the present and stood up. "Fine, fine…!"

He walked over to the couch where Kairi and Riku were sitting and grabbed a few cookies that sitting in a decorative bowl his mom had set out earlier.

"Well, thanks for coming over this year, guys! And thanks for helping me decorate the tree."

"Of course! It wouldn't feel like Christmas if we didn't come over to your house for Christmas eve," Kairi said with a smile.

"So what did you ask Santa Claus for this year, Sora?" Riku joked, about to pop a Christmas cookie into his mouth.

"Very funny, Ri…SANTA!" Riku and Kairi started and watched as Sora had almost dropped his cookies.

"How could I forget? Santa told me to give you his very best wishes!"

Riku dropped _his_ cookie, his eyebrow raised. "What."

Kairi looked to Riku, then turned to Sora. "Sora?"

"Donald, Goofy and I met Santa in Christmas Town after Jack took us there! Wow, I can't believe I didn't mention this before!" Sora stopped himself and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He continued, "Santa lived in this brick house that was decorated with all sorts of—"

"Come on Sora, are you sure?" Riku picked up another cookie.

"Of course! You both know I went to all sorts of places. You saw other worlds too, Riku!" Sora crossed his arms. "It shouldn't be such a surprise."

"Yeah but…" Riku furrowed his brows.

Kairi's eyes lit up. All of a sudden she felt like she was a small kid again and had a million things to ask Sora.

"That's…amazing Sora! Were there little elves too?"

"Haha, yeah!"

"And reindeer?"

Sora looked contemplative and a put a hand to his chin. "Well, I didn't see them…but I bet they were somewhere around there!"

As Kairi and Sora went on about Christmas Town and Santa, Riku sat there completely dumbfounded.

* * *

7 Years Ago…

"Santa is going to bring me a whole bunch of toys this year!" A eight year old boy grinned widely and clenched his fists. "I just know it because I made sure I was extra good!"

"Sora, do you still believe in Santa Claus?" an exasperated voice came from behind him.

Sora turned his head quickly to the boy approaching, his excited expression now one of shock.

"What? Yeah!" He frowned. "I thought you did too, Riku."

"Yeah, I _did_." Riku crossed his arms. "But then I realized it was stupid—why should I believe that a big fat guy in a red suit would come to give me presents once a year?

What's the point?"

"Well—"

"And why just once a year?"

"I—"

"And how does he have time to give all us kids gifts? A night is only so long."

"I know but—"

"Why at night anyway? And why can't he give us our gifts in person?"

"Maybe it's becau—"

"What if there are other worlds out there? Does he visit those kids as well?"

"That's—"

"And if he does, then it has to be impossible for him to get to everyone in one night!"

"It could be—"

"Do they believe in Santa too? What if they don't—will he still visit them?"

"I am not—" Sora automatically paused, thinking Riku would just interrupt him again.

Riku was now silent, his arms still crossed. He seemed pleased with his well thought out assertions of the existence—or nonexistence—of Santa Claus.

"Riku, you think too much."

"Doesn't it make sense?" Riku's green eyes flashed to Sora.

Sora rested his arms behind his head and looked to the sky, doubts filling his mind. After

a few seconds of silence, he sighed.

"I guess so."

Riku smiled, somewhat smug. "Of course!"

It was the next day…

Kairi and Selphie ran up to Sora, Wakka, and Tidus and greeted them. The three boys were preoccupied with kicking a ball back and forth.

"YAAH!" Tidus kicked it hard and it whizzed over Wakka's head. Wakka's face fell as he watched the ball fly a few yards away. "Not again…!" He ran off to fetch the ball before it rolled into the ocean. The two girls watched as Wakka ran away, then turned to Sora and Tidus.

"We just finished our Christmas lists! What did you guys asked for?" Selphie asked, smiling brightly.

Tidus' nose scrunched up in indignation. "Definitely nothing girly like I bet you guys asked for!"

Selphie pouted, but before she opened her mouth to retort Sora smirked and said,

"Aw come on, you guys still believe in Santa Claus?"

Wakka returned with a rather wet and sandy ball in hand, catching the tail end of Sora's comment. "Eh?"

The four children stared at their jagged-haired friend, surprise on their faces.

"Sora! Y-you don't believe in Santa Claus?" Kairi asked, her brows furrowed.

"Of course not! Not anymore…" He went on to explain all the things Riku had told him the day before.

Soon doubts of the existence of jolly old St.Nick began to arise in the four children's minds.

It was evening time and Kairi walked along the beach, alone. She picked up a sea shell and examined it. I bet this would make a nice Christmas ornament, she thought to herself. She wandered into the "secret place" that she shared with Sora and Riku and sat down, leaning against the stone wall.

Her thoughts immediately turned to Santa Claus. Her shoulders slumped and she looked down to the sea shell she was still holding. Maybe he doesn't exist…

"Kairi!"

Kairi snapped out of her thoughts. "Sora?"

He was huffing and puffing, trying to catch his breath.

"I thought I'd find you here!" It was apparent that he had been running all over the place looking for her.

"Want to come over to my house for dinner tomorrow? Mom is letting me invite you and Riku over for Christmas eve!"

"Oh? Yeah. Sure!" She stiffened a smile.

"Okay! Great!" He was completely oblivious to her rather noticeable sadness—he's just a eight year old. Before he ran out to go back home, Kairi spoke up.

"Sora, I—"

He turned around. "Huh."

"Why don't you believe in Santa anymore?" She thought he would be the last person to stop believing in Santa Claus.

Sora looked thoughtful, walked back to where Kairi was sitting and plopped down next to her.

"Well, Riku told me all that stuff I told you guys! At first I still wanted to believe, but Riku is usually right about stuff, you know?" He shrugged. "Why wouldn't he be right about this?"

Kairi pulled her knees close to her and rested her chin on them. She stared glumly in front of her. "Hm, I guess so."

The two sat there in awkward quietness until Sora jumped to his feet. "Come on! It's getting late. We should go home." He held out his hand to help her up.

* * *

Sora and Kairi's Christmas Town banter went on for a good thirty minutes, 

"And then _Donald_ said---"

"Hey, what's…outside?" Riku interrupted, staring out the window. Small white flakes gingerly floated down in front of the quickly frosted window pain.

Sora gasped, ripped open the door and dashed outside.

"SNOW!"

"We're on an _island_, it doesn't snow!" Riku called, following after him. Kairi put down her cup of egg nog and quickly followed suit.

"Wow!" She held out her hands, trying to catch a few of the flakes.

Sora stuck out his tongue, trying to catch them. He wasn't doing so well.

"Ackthh! Come…on!"

Riku watched as Sora struggled for a moment, then sighed.

Admittedly, he was not sure why it was snowing. His surprise heightened when he heard a faint noise. He looked around, wondering where it was coming from.

"What…?"

He peeked around a few trees and even kicked a rock over--even though he knew the funny jingling sound could not possibly be coming from underneath a rock. He spotted Sora looking at him, amused and pointing to the sky.

"Look up."

Riku squinted. He could vaguely make out a shape in front of the full moon. He heard a voice, it was distant, but he could hear it. It was deep and strong.

Sora waved, "Merry Christmas to you too!" he yelled.

Kairi joined him in waving.

"I…I can't believe it!" she laughed, still waving as hard as she could.

"M-merry Christmas, Santa!" she called out, awkwardly.

Riku stared up at the sky for a few moments in silence. He even found himself putting one of his hand up, sort of waving. He didn't know what to say. "Um…"

He watched as Santa's sleigh was out of sight.

It was a good ten minutes that he continued to stare up at the night sky.

By that time, Kairi gone back inside since she wasn't dressed for snowy weather. Despite the cold, she was content as ever and all a glow after seeing Santa Claus.

Sora was about to follow suit. He turned around, about to holler to Riku.

"Huh?"

Riku still standing there, his shoulders slumped and that cookie still in hand. And he was still looking up at the sky.

Sora waltzed up behind him.

"So! I guess Santa does exist after all, EH RIKU?" He laughed and gave Riku a big pat on the back, surprising him once again. There went another cookie...


End file.
